Cocktail Table Styling

There is a fine art to styling a cocktail table. Too stark and the room looks barren; too much on the table and it starts to look cluttered. This is especially true in a formal living room. Unlike a family room, where I expect a cocktail table to hold daily-use items (think wooden trays corralling magazines, remote controls, and coasters), a living room is typically not used on a daily basis. Instead, it is saved for grown-up dinners and cocktail parties. So, the items on the table are purely for visual effect.

Right now I am styling a cocktail table in a formal living room. The room will be used occasionally, but it is definitely not an every day space. As a result, I am trying to walk the line between stark and cluttered. Here are some of the images that are inspiring me right now.

Image courtesy of Robuck & Company

Image courtesy of thezhush.blogspot.com

Image courtesy of MyDomaine.com

Image courtesy of Kendall Wilkinson Design

Image courtesy of Cara Jourdan

Here are some of the pieces I am going to use to try to achieve the looks above. Stay tuned for the finished product.